Road Safety Evaluations and The Hawthorne Effect.
The Hawthorne effect refers to a type of reaction in which individuals who know they are being observed modify their behaviour. This effect can often affect the accuracy and results of a road safety study. Depending on the study design, the Hawthorne effect may be minimised by:
???? Conduct naturalistic observations such as setting up covert cameras/measuring equipment or positioning yourself where the subjects cannot see you as an observer (although this is not always possible)
???? Discarding the first time-interval of an observation and use subsequent observations where the subject has become used to being observed
???? Make responses anonymous
???? Use control groups
